Analysis

Drew Gay
Competition I
Professor Dilbeck

The Ringer

“The Ringer” Is a movie about Steve who is a simple business man. He is told if he wants a raise he must fire the janitor, Stavi. Steve thinks Stavi is a really nice guy and since Stavi will need another job, Steve hires Stavi to do his lawn care. When cutting the lawn Stavi slices off his finger and will need to have surgery on his hand to get his fingers sown back on. Stavi doesn’t have the money for the surgery and Steve his employer doesn’t have Stavi under any medical insurance. Steve is put in a horrible position and really needs to make a lot of money fast so he can get Stavis fingers sown back on. It just so happens that Steve’s Uncle Gary is also in debt from gambling and needs to make money fast as well. Gary convinces Steve to act mentally challenged and try to compete in the Special Olympics. Once he enters the other athletes discover that Steve is not really mentally challenged. Steve explains why he is doing it and the other guys agree to help him train so Stavi can get his fingers back. Gary bets with this man for a lot of money that Jimmy, the guy who has won the last few Special Olympics, doesn’t win this year’s gold medal. Once the Olympics are over even though Steve only gets third, Jimmy gets second. This means Steve and Gary won the money they need to sew Stavis hand back on and get Gary out of dept. Once Steve is up on stage he realizes that what he has done is wrong even though he was doing it for a good cause. So he stands on the stage after he receives his medal and announces to everyone that he is a fraud and doesn’t deserve to be on stage with them. Everyone boos him as he walks away from the stadium. Steve then opens his own theater and hires all of his friends he made from the Special Olympics to work with him. The beginning of this movie makes you think that the writers are making fun of mentally challenged people. When in all reality they are commending mentally challenged people and trying to show that just like everyone else, people that are mentally challenged have their own interest, talents, emotions, and personalities.

Throughout the movie the writers show that all mentally challenged people have the same interest and talents as someone who is not mentally handicapped. One way the writers convey this is with Jimmy’s famous line “I’m just like all of you.” (The Ringer). This line is really powerful in that it has a world class athlete, who has won multiple Gold medals, and has nothing to prove to the world stating how he is just like everyone watching. Many people around the world either play sports or watch them. The same goes for people with mental handicaps. Just because they have a mental disability doesn’t mean they don’t love to play and watch the same things as anyone else. Jimmy is a prime example for this by not only playing sports but also being talented and winning gold medals of his very. For these reasons the writers show that mentally challenged people just like Jimmy have the same interest and talents as anyone.

Another thing the writers convey is that mentally challenged people, just like anyone else have emotions. For example when Steve is getting his medal realizes what he has done is wrong and stands in front of the crowd and says “I can’t accept this, cause.. I’m a fraud. I’m… I’m not really mentally disabled. I’m not worthy to be on the same field with these people.” (The Ringer). Steve reveals what he has done in front of thousands of people and truly realizes what he has done is wrong. Everyone watching on T.V and everyone at the stadium instantly becomes angry at Steve for what he has done even though he confessed to what he did. However the guys who became his friends were clearly sad and felt bad for him as he was booed off the stage. The fact that their friend who they helped was clearly in disarray made them almost morn for him. They knew the reason he did it was for a good reason and were not mad at him like everyone else. This is a true display of emotion, especially towards another.  

Lastly the writers show the personalities of the mentally challenged in the movie when Steve gets caught by his fellow competitors. Some of the other athletes realize Steve is a phony and not truly special. Rather than just turning him in and getting him in trouble they confront him. Steve explains to them why he tried to do it then starts to pack up when one of the guys says “Where are you going? We want you to stay.” (The Ringer). This shows the true personality of the guys. They realize what he’s doing is for a good cause. Also they say “We want you to win, we are tired of Jimmy winning. He’s a prick!” (The Ringer). This shows a more funny and competitive side of their personalities because they don’t want to see the same guy win every time and they throw in some funny comments about him. At this point they truly display the mentally challenged peoples personalities by showing how they have are comedic, competitive understanding, etc.

Throughout the movie there are scenes and lines that show the true purpose of the movie “The Ringer”. This purpose being that mentally challenged people are just like everyone else in that they have their own interest, talents, emotions, and personalities. This movie truly displays this well with acting and a story line that really gets the point across that they are trying to make. It is because of this that “The Ringer” is not only a comedy but also a meaningful movie with a great moral.

 

                The Ringer. Dir. Barry W. Blaustein. Farrelly Brothers, 2005. Film.